Apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers includes a conveying device which conveys the pre-forms along a pre-set path. The conveying device has a movable station carrier arranged at least indirectly on a stationary base carrier on which are arranged a plurality of shaping stations which have in each case blow moulding devices which have cavities, inside which the pre-forms are shaped. The apparatus has a changing device for removing the blow moulding devices from the blow mould carriers and/or for arranging blow moulding devices on the blow mould carriers. The changing device has a first control device for controlling a removing and/or an arranging movement of the blow moulding devices on the blow mould carriers, and a second control device for controlling a blow moulding procedure, wherein the first control device and the second control device preferably co-operate at least for a time.

Plastic preforms are introduced into a blow mold and are expanded by applying a flowable medium thereto, which is introduced into the internal space of the plastic preforms, wherein the blow mold includes at least two lateral parts which form a cavity during the expansion of the plastic preforms, within which the plastic containers are expanded. The lateral parts are respectively provided on lateral part carriers that are moved relative to each other for opening and closing the blow mold. At least one arrangement of a lateral part carrier and the lateral part provided thereon has an expansion element that can have a gaseous medium applied thereto. The expansion element ensures, when the gaseous medium is applied thereto, that one lateral part is moved towards the other lateral part. During the expansion of the plastic preforms, at least two different pressure levels are applied.

A system for transforming plastic parisons to plastic containers with a transport device which transports the plastic parisons along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device has a movable station support disposed at least indirectly on a stationary base support on which a plurality of transforming stations is disposed. The transforming stations each have blow mold devices which each form cavities within which the plastic parisons can be transformed into the plastic containers and these blow mold devices are each disposed on blow mold supports. The system has a changing device which is suitable and intended in order, in a changing mode of the system, at least to remove the blow mold devices from their blow mold supports and/or to dispose blow mold devices on the blow mold supports, and wherein, during a further mode of operation which differs from the changing mode, this changing device is suitable and intended for carrying out a treatment operation on at least one working element intended for the system.

A base assembly configured to cooperate with an injection blow molding machine for forming a polymeric container from a preform by injection blow molding. The base assembly includes a base insert defining a base mold configured to form a base of the polymeric container during injection blow molding. The base insert is slidably seated within the base assembly. The base insert is slidably movable between a retracted position and an extended position during injection blow molding of the polymeric container.

An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers has a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path. The conveying device has a movable station carrier arranged at least indirectly on a stationary base carrier and on which a plurality of shaping stations are arranged. The shaping stations have blow moulding devices which form cavities inside which the plastics material preforms are shaped to form plastics material containers. The blow moulding devices are arranged on blow mould carriers. The apparatus has a changing device suitable for removing at least the blow moulding devices from the blow mould carriers and/or arranging blow moulding devices on the blow mould carriers. A changing device has a gripping device for gripping the blow moulding device, wherein this gripping device is movable in at least two different directions and is pivotable about at least three different axes.

The system (1) comprises a male part (2), a female part (4), a driving piece (24) having a spool portion (26) provided with a radial bore (28), a driving member (30) moving radially inside the radial bore (28), a cavity (34) and a radial projection (40). The driving piece (24) moves in translation between a disconnected position of the male and female parts and a connected position of the male and female parts. The driving piece (24) comprises a piston (48) sliding in an activation chamber (14) under the effect of a pressing force. The piston (48) is attached to the spool portion (26) in such a way as to move the drive piece (24) to one of the positions from the connection position and disconnection position under the effect of the pressing force. The system (1) further comprises means of control for triggering the application of the pressing force on the piston (48).

A container treatment system (1, 13) that has at least two working areas (AP). Each of the working areas (AP) respectively comprises at least one exchangeable working tool (2) and/or one adaptable format part. Furthermore, the container treatment system (1, 13) comprises at least one automatic exchange machine (10) which is movable, in particular drivable, to the at least two working areas (AP), which automatic exchange machine (10) can be connected selectively to any of the respective working areas (AP), in particular using centering means (22, 32), and which automatic exchange machine (10) comprises tools for exchanging the working tools (2) and/or for adapting the format parts of the respective working area (AP). The invention further relates to an automatic exchange machine (10) for exchanging working tools (2) and/or for adapting the format parts of at least two different working areas (AP) of a container treatment system (1, 13).

An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers has a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path. The conveying device has a movable station carrier arranged at least indirectly on a stationary base carrier and on which a plurality of shaping stations are arranged. The shaping stations have blow molding devices which form cavities inside which the plastics material preforms are shaped to form plastics material containers. The blow molding devices are arranged on blow mold carriers. The apparatus has a changing device suitable for removing at least the blow molding devices from the blow mold carriers and/or arranging blow molding devices on the blow mold carriers. A changing device has a gripping device for gripping the blow molding device, wherein this gripping device is movable in at least two different directions and is pivotable about at least three different axes.

A method for controlling a molding unit (10) for the forming of a container made of thermoplastic material by blow molding of a preform, with the unit (10) including: a carriage (24) that carries, in a stationary manner, a mold bottom (16); at least one stationary cylinder (32) housing a piston (98) that slides between a lower rest position and an upper boxing position in which it pushes the carriage (24) from an intermediate position to an upper molding position; actuating elements for moving the carriage (24) from its upper molding position to a lower extraction position;
with the method including an extraction step (E4) wherein the movement of the carriage (24) toward its lower extraction position is initiated while the piston (98) has not yet returned into its lower rest position.

A mould system for moulding a receptacle is described. The mould system comprises a mould comprising a mould cavity and an opening, and a mandrel system comprising a reference point, a mandrel and an expandable member. The mandrel is at least partially located, or at least partially locatable, inside the expandable member and comprises one or more holes through which a fluid is flowable in use from an interior of the mandrel to an exterior of the mandrel to expand the expandable member. When the mandrel is at least partially located inside the expandable member, the mandrel system is positionable relative to the mould such that the reference point is at a fixed position relative to the mould and the mandrel, and the expandable member extend into the mould cavity through the opening such that there is a clearance between the expandable member and a base of the mould cavity opposite the opening. The expandable member and at least a part of the mandrel are moveable relative to the reference point to vary the clearance.